Charcoal Blue vs Summit Gray
Charcoal Blue and Summit Gray come from the same Sherwin-Williams collection. Hue-wise, Charcoal Blue belongs to the blue-grey family and Summit Gray to the grey family. The 24-point LRV gap — 30 for Summit Gray vs 6 for Charcoal Blue — means Summit Gray will open up a space more effectively. Where Charcoal Blue leans cool, Summit Gray reads neutral — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 34.1 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Charcoal Blue vs Summit Gray in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Charcoal Blue and Summit Gray in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
Living Room
A living room wall sees more varied light than almost any other surface in the house, which makes the choice between these two more nuanced than a chip suggests. Summit Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Charcoal Blue.
Bedroom
Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. Summit Gray returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
House
A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. Summit Gray returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. Summit Gray returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Charcoal Blue vs Summit Gray Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Charcoal Blue on one side and Summit Gray on the other.
Digital color is approximate. These simulations are generated from the manufacturer's hex values and overlaid on grayscale room photos — your screen's calibration, brightness, and viewing angle all affect how they render. Before committing to either color, test physical samples in your own space under the light you actually live with.
More Charcoal Blue comparisons
See how Charcoal Blue stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
With LRVs of 6 and 4, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 6), opening up a space where Charcoal Blue encloses it.